


The Binding of Stiles Stilinski

by CrazySatan



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Frontotemporal Dementia, Gen, Magic, Magical Claudia Stilinski, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Maybe - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sick Claudia Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski's Name is Mieczysław, Tags May Change, Terminal Illnesses, bullshitting a magic system with Yours Truly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-21 23:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30029712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazySatan/pseuds/CrazySatan
Summary: Dad says that Mama's death wasn't Stiles' fault. When he isn't lost at the bottom of a whiskey bottle, that is. Stiles knows differently.Mama had to use up the last of her in order to keep him safe, after all.
Relationships: Claudia Stilinski & Stiles Stilinski, Claudia Stilinski/Sheriff Stilinski, Sheriff Stilinski & Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	The Binding of Stiles Stilinski

Stiles is not a fool. He knows that he is different from most of the other children at school, that they do not feel the same thrumming in his veins as he does. They do not feel the power in the Earth, the strength that comes from the changing of the seasons, the breathing of something ancient in The Preserve. Stiles does, as does his Mama. 

He can feel it when his Mama gets sick, his Mama can feel it, the Earth around them can feel it, and for some reason the extensive Hale family can feel it. Mama knows that she is dying, and she knows that Stiles knows. Mama tells him that she does not have much time left, and that he must learn the secrets of her family before her time is gone completely. She starts making him read books on magic and trains him. The Hales meet with her and offer her something that she does not accept. Mama gives Talia Hale a weary smile and tells her that it will not work if you are something else. He does not understand, but Mama tells him that he will.

Mama does not tell Dad that she is dying. She tells Stiles not to tell him. Stiles says nothing for three years.

  


* * *

  


Mama does not tell Dad, but Dad finds out anyways when Mama forgets that the stove was on even though she was still in the kitchen and nearly burns the house down. Dad cries, because this sort of thing has never happened before. He insists that they go to the hospital to check it out, because Mama has been uncharacteristically forgetful the past few months and he knows something might be wrong.

He can see the moment Mama realizes that Dad will find out, the moment that she realizes that she cannot continue on as she has been doing. That she must do _something_. He does not know what that is yet, but he knows that it will mark her end.

They go to the hospital and get some brain scans done, and Mama is diagnosed. She has something called Frontotemporal Dementia, an illness that causes parts of the brain that are important to memory and emotions to rot while she's still alive. There is no cure. It will kill her. Dad cries again, and when they go home Mama tells him that they are upping the magic training. Stiles makes a few witty but weak complaints that are more for show than anything else. Mama gives him a sad smile, but it's a smile nonetheless. He'll take what he can get.

  


* * *

  


As time goes on, Mama forgets more and more. She gets angry a lot and sometimes forgets things about him and his Dad and even forgets certain words, and she grows weaker and weaker. Eventually she can't keep up with magic lessons anymore, and she just watches as Stiles performs spells and draws runes and sigils and mixes potions. The first potions he masters are ones to reduce anger, balance emotions, and enhance memory. They do not help Mama by much, but they help, and they make Mama proud.

As Mama grows sicker, Dad spends more time at home than ever before. When Mama is particularly forgetful, he curls up with her and Stiles on the couch and recounts funny stories of when he and Mama were dating and when Stiles was much smaller. His favorite stories to tell are when he and Mama went on their first date, when he proposed to Mama, their wedding day, when Stiles was born, and that one time when Stiles was convinced the Hales were secretly werewolves. Dad never lets that one go.

For a while, it's good. It's not perfect, not in the way it was before Mama started to forget, but it's good.

And then Mama forgets how to walk.

  


* * *

  


They take her to the hospital again, and do lots and lots of tests. Mama has gotten worse, a lot worse, and the doctors say that she cannot go back home.   
She has to stay at the hospital.

Without Mama's presence to keep Dad in check, he starts to drink. Not by much, but Stiles is scared. He calls the deputies at the station to make sure that he doesn't drink to much. In order to pay for Mama's hospital bills, Dad picks up more shifts. Stiles has to learn how to cook because his Dad has too many shifts. He cooks and eats with Stiles whenever possible, which isn't often, but the takeout his Dad orders him when Dad isn't there is not going to cut it for a growing boy like Stiles.

He asks the next-door neighbor, Melissa McCall, for help. She teaches him how to cook by letting him help her cook when Dad isn't home. He ends up eating at the McCall's quite often and befriends her asthmatic son, Scott. They're as thick as thieves, and do everything together.

And so, while life certainly isn't good anymore, it's not quite bad, either.

  


* * *

  


Mama has been forgetting lots of things lately. Sometimes she forgets who certain people are, or about things or events that just happened. Once, she forgets who Stiles is and he cries, and when she remembers she doesn't stop crying until she falls asleep. The next visit he has is very important. She has a look in her eyes that seems determined and resigned.

She leans forward from her spot on the hospital bed and stares him down intently. Stiles knows that this is serious.

"Mischief," She says. "What I'm about to do is for your own safety. Something dangerous is coming, and if it finds out the strength of your power, it will try to kill you to steal it. Even after it's done, I want you to keep on studying magic. As much of it as possible. Do you understand?"

Stiles nods, but he is curious. "I understand Mama, but what are you going to do?"

Mama looks deeply regretful when the words come out of her mouth. "I am going to bind your magic."

Stiles gasps, horrified. She can't!

"Mama, no! Bindings take to much energy! You'll- You're going to- You can't-!" He's crying, hyperventilating and panicking. He shouldn't, but he can't help it. This is it, this is the action that will mark Mama's end. Mama reaches out to him and brushes away his tears, and he calms only slightly. He loves his Mama, so, _so_ much. He wants to hold onto her for a while longer, he doesn't want her to die yet. He doesn't want her to die at all, he wants her to live. He wants her to see him grow up into a man, he wants her to see him graduate from school, he wants her to see him get married, he wants her to see him have children. He wants her to live long enough that when she goes Stiles will know that she lived a happy life. He wants her to remember him when she dies, dammit! He doesn't want her to forget his love for her, he doesn't want to loose her! It's selfish, he knows, but he can't help but want it.

"Mischief, I'd rather die quickly than live longer not knowing who you are. I wish we could spend longer together, I wish this isn't how it happened. I want to see you grow, too, I don't want to be the reason of your sadness. But I have to do this while I still remember you, while I still remember how to do magic. And if you ever need your magic, you can always undo the bindings." She tells him, and though she tries to keep her eyes from growing wet, she still shed a few tears.

He shakes his head frantically, but he knows it must be done. The only reason that his mother lasted so long in this world is because Beacon Hills is guarded by ancient and powerful magic. If Stiles wants to survive, he must hide his.

She places a hand on the center of his chest, and something warm and loving pushes into his magic. He gasps as he realizes that she is pushing the last of her remaining magic into him. She finishes off with a magic circle, glowing a brilliant violet with the symbol for the soul in the center and the sigils for binding and protection and hiding circling the rim of it. It clicks in place and she closes her eyes, tired and weary from giving up all of her magic. Stiles bawls and wails and cries for a whole hour while clutching her hand.

  


* * *

  


Mama fades quickly after that. She forgets and is quick to anger and sadness. Often she accuses Stiles of stealing something from her, screaming and crying. Dad cries to himself at night when he thinks Stiles cannot hear. Her Dementia progresses much more quickly than any recorded case that came before it, and the doctors cannot explain and are fascinated. It's morbid, and it disgusts Stiles so even if he was allowed to tell them why he wouldn't.

Within a few months, Mama dies. He's there when it happens, and the last words she says to anyone are the last words she says to him because Dad is on shift, even though he is desperately trying to get to the hospital in time. 

She looks him in the eyes, and instead of the sadness or anger he usually sees, it's only love. "I don't remember who you are," she says to him. "But I remember that I love you, very much. And that you also love me very much. It's good to see you here."

Something in him that was smarting and raw and aching this whole time heals at that. Not all of the pain is erased, it doesn't fix everything because his Mama is dying, but it feels less painful than it could have been. And it _is_ still painful, burning hot and numbingly cold all at once, and he screams for his Mama and begs her not to go, not yet, not when she still loves him and he still loves her, not when she hasn't said goodbye to Dad yet. 

She still dies, because there is nothing in the world that can stop someone from dying, and there's no way to bring someone back without them being a fragmented version of their former selves. Dad gets there moments too late, when Mama has just left this world, and finds his son clutching his wife's still-warm hand. Stiles has already cried himself hoarse, and Dad bawls, cries and screams desperately. They have to be dragged away from her.

  


* * *

  


The funeral for Mama is big. Lots of people show up, lots of people loved Mama. People tell them that they're sorry. It's not what Stiles wants. He wants his Mama back. He doesn't want apologies for something that isn't anyone's fault but his own.

And it is his fault, because she gave herself up to save him

  


  


  


**Author's Note:**

> Me? Projecting all of my fears about my parents dying before they get to see me grow up onto fictional characters? Never.


End file.
